Fermentation process for preparing phenylacetic acid using phenylalanine as a starting material

Abstract

Described is a process for preparing phenylacetic acid using phenylalanine as a starting material by means of first culturing one or more organisms from the genus Pseudomonas or from the genus Comamanas or mutants thereof; then intimately contacting the organism culture with racemic phenylalanine or L-phenylalanine or a mixture thereof in the presence of a gaseous oxygen-containing composition such as air and in aqueous media; and finally recovering phenylacetic acid from the fermentation broth.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for producing phenylacetic acid having the structure: ##STR70## consisting essentially of the steps of: (i) culturing one or more organisms selected from the group consisting of (a) at least one member of the genus Pseudomonas and (b) at least one member of the genus Comamanas; thereby forming an organism culture; (ii) intimately contacting said organism culture with (a) racemic phenylalanine defined according to the structure: ##STR71## or L-phenylalanine having the structure: ##STR72## or mixtures thereof; and (b) a gaseous oxygen-containing composition in aqueous media thereby forming a phenylacetic acid fermentation broth according to the reaction: ##STR73## or the reaction: ##STR74## or according to both reactions: ##STR75##  and (iii) recovering phenylacetic acid from the fermentation broth.   
     
     
       2. The process of claim 1 wherein the reaction: ##STR76## or the reaction: ##STR77## or the combination of reactions: ##STR78## are carried out at: (a) a pH of from about 6 up to about 8; (b) a temperature of from about 20° C. up to about 40° C.;   (c) a time of from about 20 up to about 300 hours; and   (d) an initial phenylalanine concentration of from about 0.8 up to about 4%.   
     
     
       3. The process of claim 1 wherein the organism cultured is of the Pseudomonas genus. 
     
     
       4. The process of claim 2 wherein the organism cultured is of the Pseudomonas genus. 
     
     
       5. The process of claim 3 wherein the Pseudomonas organism is Pseudomonas gladioli var gladioli, ATCC 10247. 
     
     
       6. The process of claim 4 wherein the Pseudomonas organism is Pseudomonas gladioli var gladioli, ATCC 10247. 
     
     
       7. The process of claim 2 wherein the reaction: ##STR79## or the reaction: ##STR80## or the combination of reactions: ##STR81## are carried out at a pH of 7; a temperature of 30° C. and a time of from about 24 hours up to about 72 hours using an initial phenylalanine concentration of from 1 up to 3% in aqueous media.